DESERT EXPRESS
American Association of University Women
Las Vegas Nevada
October 2011
The President’s Message
Dear AAUW Ladies,
October has snuck up on us. It feels so much like summer, that October shouldn’t be here yet.
However, it is. Have you heard that this October has five Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays.
They say this won’t happen again for over 800 years. We may not be here then to see it.
Because of this, our monthly meeting is rather early in the month – Saturday, October 8th.
Hope you will all be able to attend, because we have a very impressive speaker. Mr. Ken
Turner, from the CCSD Superintendent’s office will speak to us regarding the long and short
range plans of the new administration. His bio is attached. Please fill out your menu selections
as quickly as possible, so we can get them turned in and our drinks before Mr. Turner begins his
speaking about 12:00. He is open to questions AFTER his speech. Let’s try not to interrupt his
presentation with questions in the middle.
Our new directories will be distributed at this meeting. We have ordered only 8 extra copies.
However, we have ordered 20 of the small directories. We will charge $2 for the small ones.
Please check your information, and advise a board member if there needs to be a correction.
We have some business to conduct as well, including approving the revised budget; advising
you about the new AAUW Nevada Website, and the upcoming Leadership Conference. We will
also give you some future save the dates for activities planned.
A big, big thanks goes out to Ruth Johnson for her impressive recital. We have much talent in
our group. It was a lovely recital, and she took no compensation, but offered all donations to
the church building fund and to the Jean Ford/Florence McClure Scholarship Fund.
Laura Lippold is still in the hospital, so please keep her in your thoughts and prayers. Some
good news is that our Membership VP, Miriam Hofland, just got home from the hospital
yesterday. It looks like she is on the road to recovery. Laura did tell me that the bridge
marathon would be giving the branch a check for $800 to be used for local scholarships. Thank
you all you bridge players!!!
Looking forward to seeing you all on Saturday, October 8th - Charlene
Sunshine
Sunshine cards were sent to members recovering from her surgeries.
Please let Kae Schafer know of any of our friends or members
that need a little extra Sunshine.
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Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth
seeking the successive autumns.
- George Eliot, English poet and novelist
Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.
- Albert Camus, French author and journalist
Besides the autumn poets sing,
A few prosaic days
A little this side of the snow
And that side of the haze.
- Emily Dickinson, American poet
AAUW Members
You are invited to celebrate the statue dedication of Helen J. Stewart, one of the first
college educated women to arrive in the Las Vegas Valley in 1882. Helen J. Stewart, often
called “The First Lady of Las Vegas” because of her civic accomplishments, will have a statue
dedicated to her near her former home, now the grounds of the Old Las Vegas Mormon Fort
State Historic Park at the southeast corner of Washington and Las Vegas Boulevard.
Helen graduated from Woodland College in Yolo County California. Then she soon
married Archibald Stewart and they moved to his ranch in Pony Springs in 1873. They moved
to the Las Vegas Valley in 1882 after the Stewarts acquired foreclosed property from business
associate O.D. Gass. After the death of her husband in 1884, Helen ran the ranch along with
her five children and father.
In 1902 Helen sold over 1800 acres to Senator Clark of Montana who had ties to the
railroad. She became a civic leader founding many organizations.
The Friends of the Fort, a non-profit organization that works with the Old Las Vegas
Mormon Fort State Historic Park, applied for and was awarded $99,000 by the Las Vegas
Centennial Commission on July 26, 2010 to fund the statue of Helen Stewart. Sculptor
Benjamin Victor was chosen to design and create the statue. A documentary chronicling her
life will also be produced by Gwendolyn Clancy from Reno. It will be available for viewing at
the Old Fort and for distribution to schools.
Dr. Linda Miller, AAUW member, has been recreating the life of Helen J. Stewart
through first person interpretation around the community to raise public awareness. On April
9, 2011 she presented Helen at our state conference.
On December 3, 2011, join government officials, family members of Helen Stewart and
civic leaders reflecting on the organizations on which she made an impact. The dedication of
the statue with a preview of the documentary begins at 12 pm with light refreshments to
follow.
To RSVP call the Old Fort at 486-3511 or email friendsofthefort@yahoo.com by November 25.
Helen J. Stewart Statue Dedication
December 3, 2011 12-1 pm. Old Las Vegas Mormon Fort State Historical Park
Presented by Friends of the Fort
Meet Government officials, Family members, Ben Victor Sculptor and Dr. Linda Miller
(Helen J. Stewart Interpreter) and preview of Documentary by Gwen Clancy:
Life and Times of Helen J. Stewart: the Legacy Lives On
Refreshments Following Program
Funding from Las Vegas Centennial Commission for Statue and Documentary
And Partial Funding from Nevada Humanities for Documentary
RSVP at friendsofthefort@yahoo.com or call 486-3511 by Nov. 25, 2011
$1 State Park Fee Waived thanks to Cultural Corridor Grant
EXTRA! EXTRA! AAUW NEVADA
BOULDER CITY BRANCH
Valerie McNay
After summer recess, the small but mighty BC Branch reunited on Saturday, 8/27/11.
Historically, we were the first AAUW branch in Nevada because the engineers who came to work
on Hoover Dam brought their families, including women with college degrees, rather rare in the
1930s. In the spirit of our history, we meet at the historic Boulder Dam Hotel built in the 1930s
and housing the Boulder Dam Museum and Historical Society. The Hotel is a wonderful supporter
and partner in our fundraising activities. The Hotel (open 24/7 sells tickets for our events) and
free of charge provides the Hotel lobby and patio for our events. The Hotel graciously donates
wine for our Wine & Chocolate Tasting events. Our branch has joined the Boulder Dam Hotel
Museum and Historical Society as an organization and donates small portions of our profits from
Wine & Chocolate Tastings to the Museum.
Our branch also belongs to the local Boulder City Chamber of Commerce in support of shopping
locally and our goal this year is to have AAUW members participate in monthly Chamber Mixers to
promote AAUW and advertise our fundraisers and scholarship applications. The Chamber
membership enables us to access their calendar, newsletter and LED signage to announce AAUW
events. We have a faculty member at Nevada State College, who has come to our meetings and
hosted our members for a tour of the campus. Another one of our goals is to foster a continued
relationship with the faculty and students of NSC. A local resident, a single parent returning to
college at NSC to earn a degree in Speech Language Pathology, was a recent recipient of our
Women to Women Scholarship.
All of our energies are now focused on two upcoming fundraising projects, the 40th Annual AAUW
Home Tour, scheduled for Saturday, December 10, 2011 from 1-4 PM and another Wine &
Chocolate Tasting, tentatively scheduled for October 2011 with another planned in May 2012.
Our programs for the year are in planning stages. One of our members is a Chautauguan who
portrays Mrs. Mackay and a great Nevada Historian and retired educator. We hope to have her
present and open the event to the community early in 2012.
RENO BRANCH
Bonnie Barber
We started our year at the Kick-Off on September 10th. This is an opportunity to connect with old
friends, make new ones, join a new interest group and hear about our plans for the year as we
work towards AAUW’s mission of advancing equity for women and girls through advocacy,
education, philanthropy and research.
Money raised by our annual fundraiser (a raffle and party on Nov. 5th) will support both national
and local scholarships and grants. AAUW National awarded 3.7 million dollars last year to
support 239 scholars, research projects and programs. Our branch awarded grants to three local
organizations: the Girl Scouts, the TMCC re-entry program and UNR’s Math Camp for middle
school girls. Sell those tickets, gals!
CAPITAL (CARSON CITY) BRANCH
Linda Hiebert Sekiguchi
Capital (Carson City) Branch’s October fall mixer is designed to bring in friends as potential
members. The potluck, at the home of President Lillian Hack, will feature lasagna and
accompaniments. Attendees will be introduced to AAUW, its mission, and local efforts to support
education for women and girls. The branch is making decisions about several financial issues:
parameters for its local scholarships, prices for its pecan sales (wholesale prices have
increased), and a new venue for its February annual Feast of Chocolate (the State Library and
Archives is now unavailable due to budget considerations). A decision about applying for
501. c-3 status with the IRS has been tabled. The branch is currently finalizing its program line
up for the year.
LAS VEGAS BRANCH Charlene Bolyard
The Las Vegas Branch is excited to begin our new year. On Sept. 29, member, Ruth Johnson,
held a piano recital to raise funds for a building fund as well as the Jean Ford/Florence McClure
Scholarship. Donations were gratefully appreciated.
In December, member Linda Miller will offer a rendition of Helen J. Stewart, one of the founders
of Nevada, in full period costume at the dedication of the new Helen J. Stewart statue.
Our President Elect, Julie Davies, is busy working with Doris Dowden to establish our branch on
the State Website. Many plans will develop after this is completed.
We are starting our mentoring program with the three institutes of higher learning in Las Vegas
and Henderson. We are thrilled to have a new student member working with this committee.
Our Scholarship committee will begin sending letters out to the colleges and universities
regarding the scholarship money we have available. We hope to award at least three $1,000
scholarships.
TAHOE BRANCH
Lucy Roman
The first meeting of the year was an annual meet and greet, “Musical Tables” progressive
dinner held on September 21st. Members and their guests moved from one table to another
after each of 3 courses was served. A great mixer idea!
The Branch board members met to plan ways to enhance fundraising, maintain support for
education, interact with the community, continue and expand support for AAUW mission, and
recruit and retain members. The SIG (special interest group) leaders devote time and effort to
promoting good times for branch members. Groups include the outdoor activities of hiking and
kayaking. A new website is coming that promises to be “low maintenance and user friendly”.
SPARKS BRANCH
The Sparks Branch will be hosting the Nevada State Convention on Friday and Saturday, April
27th and 28th at John Ascuaga’s Nugget in Sparks, Nevada.
FALLON
The AAUW Fallon Branch held its first business meeting of the new club year Saturday,
September 10. At the October 1 potluck luncheon meeting, our guest speaker is Connie
Capurro, Administrative Vice President, Western Nevada College. Her presentation will focus
on what she sees as the future of Western Nevada College and of the WNC Fallon Campus. We
are also making plans for our first fund raising event of the year, the Christmas Candy Sale,
December 2 and 3. This club wide effort relies on donations of homemade candy from
members, who also package, weigh, price, and sell that sweet stuff. Proceeds benefit our
scholarship fund.
BOOK CLUB I
Kathy Robinson
Monday, October 24, 10:30 a.m.
Hostess: Diane Rogots
Book: March
Author: Geraldine Brooks
Reviewer: Kathy Robinson
Directory Updates
No directory updates this month. The new directories will be distributed at the October
meeting.
Remember to sign up at the October meeting for the activity groups. If anyone has an idea
for a new group we welcome your suggestions.
If anyone is interested in serving on a committee please contact a member of the governing
board. Governing board members are:
President, Charlene Bolyard
President-Elect, Julie Davies
Programs, Marion Stanton
Membership, Miriam Hofland
Treasurer, Pat Volta
AAUW Note cards are still available!
Holiday Gifts
Surprise for Shut-Ins!
Reduced Price!
Buy now to avoid the rush!
American Association of University Women
Las Vegas Branch
SAVE THESE DATES
October 8
AAUW Monthly Meeting
October 24
BOOK GROUP I March
October
BOOK GROUP II Sign up to join this group.
November 12
AAUW Monthly Meeting